Part 3 of my Rescue Dog Series

As you move into the first six weeks, things often start to change.

This is when you really begin to see your dog's personality emerge.

When many dogs first arrive, they can seem a little shut down, quiet, reserved or simply on their best behaviour. In many ways, they're a bit like us if we were staying in someone else's home. We wouldn't immediately relax and behave exactly as we do in our own house!

As your dog starts to settle and trust you, you'll begin to see more of who they really are – the good, the bad and occasionally the ugly!

And that's completely normal.

They're still taking everything in, working out what is expected of them, learning the rules of their new home and deciding whether the world around them is safe.

Remember...

Behaviour is communication.

Part 2 of my Rescue Dog Series

In the first blog, we looked at the things to consider before bringing a dog home. Today, we're focusing on what I believe is one of the most important stages of all – those first seven days.

This is something I see time and time again.

People finally bring their new dog home, they're incredibly excited (and rightly so!), and they immediately want to start their new life together. Friends and family want to visit, everyone wants to go on walks, trips to the pet shop are planned, and before you know it, your new dog has experienced more in a few days than they have in weeks.

The problem is...

They haven't had time to simply be.

Remember, Their Whole World Has Changed

As many of you know, supporting adopted dogs and their guardians is my passion. Over the years, I’ve worked with so many wonderful rescue dogs and their families, helping them navigate those first days, weeks, and months together.

This is the first in a four-part blog series looking at adoption, settling in, and setting both you and your new dog up for success.

To begin, I thought we’d start with two important questions:

Why adopt a dog? And what should you consider before bringing one home?

Most dogs aren’t unicorns. 🦄🐾

We all imagine the dog who walks perfectly on lead, settles in cafés and comes back every time they’re called. Sometimes those dogs exist… but they’re rare.

Most dogs need support. Most dogs need training. Most dogs have a ‘They’re brilliant at home, but…’ story.

The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is progress.

One of the biggest mindset shifts in dog training is understanding this:

Rehearsed is not the same as understood.

A dog can look absolutely brilliant at home. You ask for a sit in the kitchen… they sit instantly. You ask again in the living room… perfect. Again in the garden… no problem.

So naturally, we think: “Great, they know sit.”

Then we try the exact same cue: 

• on a walk

• at the park

• around dogs 

• around people 

• somewhere exciting or distracting

…and suddenly it feels like the dog has forgotten everything.

What does the M25 and driving have to do with Dog Training?

Picture this: you’ve had one driving lesson in a quiet car park. You can start the car, steer, and stop without stalling. You’re feeling pretty proud.

Find Your Joy

I’ve recently started a painting course called “Find Your Joy.” 🎨

I signed up because I love painting and drawing, but I often find myself held back by the feeling that what I create has to be perfect. That people should look at it and say, “Wow, that’s amazing!”

But here’s the thing — that’s neither realistic nor the reason I want to paint.

I love filling sketchbooks, playing with paint, splashing colour around, and experimenting with mark-making. And yes, I’ll be honest… some of what I create is truly awful 😅. But does that take away the fun I have while doing it? Not at all.

What gets in the way is that little voice of judgement — the fear of what others might think.

And that’s exactly the same thing I see in so many people who come to me for dog training.

So you have a new puppy, firstly congratulations. Having a dog is simply the best experience however those first few weeks can be tricky. So where to start? We have put together a top 10 of training to consider with your new puppy:

A bit like most things in life, successful dog training doesn’t happen overnight. There's no quick fix, miracle cure, or amazing hack that will solve all your issues instantly. Training your dog, building that trust and bond takes time, commitment and consistent effort from you.

Often, what we perceive as dog training issues are simply natural behaviours for our dogs. They're just being dogs—running, chasing, digging, barking, and exploring. While these behaviours can be frustrating for us, they are normal for them. So, how do we address this? Let's explore the concept of LEGS: Learning, Environment, Genetics, and Self.

New year, new beginnings! New year is a great time to re-evaluate, take stock and plan for the year ahead. I can’t be alone in diving into January with a whole load of new resolutions. Eat more lettuce, less chocolate, exercise for 2 hours a day, run a marathon and of course dry January. What usually happens is you are all rested from a week of eating and drinking, full of cheese and avoiding the scales.

Love them or hate them, fireworks season is upon us and we want to share with you our best advice to get through this.

It is important to remember that animals have hearing outside of our range so fireworks can be more intense for them. They don't understand why their once-peaceful home is now enveloped in bangs and flashes.

October is upon us (honestly how did that happen!) and we are looking forward to Halloween when witches and wizards are abroad and magic is in the air. It is a fun time but we all now know that there is no such thing as magic! In life there are rarely any quick fixes, a magic pill to make you thin, a gadget that will give you a six pack in one week and cream that will make you look 10 years younger. The only magic ingredient really is you and what you put into it. Change the way you eat, exercise, have a good skin regime, you get the picture.

September always seems like a new start, kids are going back to school with new enthusiasm after the summer break. No more long walks in the light summer evenings, the nights are drawing in and Autumn is nearly here. As we lose the light maybe you could think about doing a little more ‘brain work’ so that on the dark nights and rainy days you can tire them out polishing up your training skills.

We have put our heads together and come up with our favourite training games and basic skills to practice. Give it a go, it will not only be lots of fun it will build your relationship, focus on you and for those of you in class will help you with your exams!

So the summer holidays are upon us, children are off school and everywhere is busy with families enjoying time together and this got me thinking about the family dog. Growing up I had a dog she was wonderful, calm, clever and sweet and she never put a foot wrong. However, some dogs struggle, some children have never spent much time around dogs and occasionally it ends up in conflict. Not great for anyone.

So summer is finally here, the sun is shining and a lot of people of planning their hols. We are all excited and feeling good. But what about our dogs? We all know that hot weather can be difficult and even sometimes dangerous for our pouches but also holidays can be very stressful. So we put our heads together and came up with some top tips

Do you want a dog that is obedient? A dog that does everything you say and hangs on your every word? It’s the dream, isn’t it? The reality of course is often very different. The most common phrase I hear is ‘he is great at home but as soon as he sees ______’ insert your very own nemesis here! Dogs, people, and squirrels are the most common.

Crufts was finally back on TV in March, whatever your thoughts it is a massive spectacle and celebration of things canine. All those dogs showing, agility, fly ball, dancing to music, obedience. What did they all have in common? They were all utterly focused on their person. Until you have your dog’s attention, they will struggle to be able to do what you are asking them to do.

Tug is one of the absolute best games to play with your dog! It helps to build a bond, is physically and mentally tiring, helps to teach impulse control and is a fantastic high-value reward.

But hang on won’t it make my dog more aggressive? Or even dominant?

First, there was Dudley, then Eunice and most recently Franklin - the storms have been coming thick and fast these last few weeks and they’ve caused their fair share of problems. Not only have we had to deal with blown away fences and fallen trees there have also been days where it has just not been safe to walk our dogs. For some pet families, this is an absolute nightmare - with stir-crazy canines kicking up their own storms whilst confined to their homes.

Adopting dogs is wonderful, and I would wholeheartedly encourage you to do so. But it can be challenging, and the reality is so often very different from your dreams of fun adventures together, long walks, cuddles on the sofa, and relaxing evenings in the pub. To achieve the transition from shelter pup to a totally awesome family pet, consider these simple tips: